1 Coup defendants: A Turkish court Thursday ordered the release of 230 people who were convicted of being involved in the so-called "sledgehammer" plot to stage a coup against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The move came a day after the Constitutional Court in Istanbul ruled that the rights of the 230 had been violated. It paves the way for a retrial in the case, which originally concluded in 2012. Erdogan's government has also questioned the guilty verdicts, largely against former military officers, implying there were problems with the case and those convicted may have been framed. The sledgehammer plot was said to be an attempt by military officers to oust Erdogan, from the Islamic Justice and Development Party, shortly after he took office in 2003.

2Bulgaria floods: Bulgarian authorities say 10 people have died and several others are missing after heavy rain and flooding hit the Black Sea port city of Varna. Regional Police Chief Nikolai Kalchev said 10 people were found to have been swept away by floodwaters late Thursday. TV footage from Varna showed streets flooded in 3-foot-deep, muddy water, with dozens of cars drifting along and rescue teams trying to make their way to people in distress.

3 Mayor sentenced: An Israeli court has sentenced a former Jerusalem mayor to six years in prison for his role in a wide-ranging corruption case that also involved ex-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. The Tel Aviv District Court handed down the sentence Thursday to Uri Lupolianski, who was convicted on bribery charges earlier this year. His sentencing comes a month after Olmert was sentenced to six years in prison for his role in the real estate case.

4 Cave rescue: After spending nearly two weeks underground, an injured German caver was hauled out of the country's deepest cavern Thursday by a multinational rescue operation that involved more than 700 people. Johann Westhauser, 52, an experienced caver, had gone into the Riesending cave system in the Alps with two companions to carry out research and measurements. He was hit in the head during a June 8 rock fall while nearly 3,280 feet underground. Five days later, rescue teams began the arduous task of hauling him up through a labyrinth of narrow passages and precipitous vertical shafts. He was taken to a hospital, where his condition was not released.

5 New Spanish king: Taking the Spanish throne in Madrid on Thursday, King Felipe VI sought to inspire his beleaguered countrymen amid troubled economic times and lift patriotic spirits a day after the national team's humbling exit from the World Cup. Felipe, 46, became monarch after his father, Juan Carlos, announced his surprise decision to abdicate. The 76-year-old said he was stepping aside after a four-decade reign so younger royal blood could energize the country.

6 Maritime dispute: The day after tough talks that made no progress between Vietnam and China over a Chinese oil rig in the South China Sea, Beijing said Thursday it was sending a second rig to waters close to Vietnam. The move, announced on China's Maritime Safety Administration website, appeared to be an unabashed signal that China will press ahead to secure what it sees as its rights in the commercially and strategically vital waterway despite rising anxiety among its neighbors in the region.